Leading figures in the boxing world have reacted with dismay to the decision by councillors in Bury, Greater Manchester, to ban the sport on local authority premises. The proposal to ban boxing in its professional form was passed by a narrow margin of 23 to 17 on Wednesday night in the home town of British flyweight champion Ady Lewis.

It has already sparked a potential legal challenge from the British Boxing

Board of Control, who have said they will be seeking advice over whether they can contest the decision in the courts.

Council leader Derek Boden cited Mike Tyson's ear-biting of Evander Holyfield in their world heavyweight title bout as an example of what he said were

"unacceptable levels of harm" being caused in the sport.